Ten years of the EnBW Baltic 1 offshore wind farm: “Baltic 1 was a real pioneer accomplishment.”

Karlsruhe/Hamburg/Stralsund. Ten years ago, EnBW took into operation what was then Germany’s first commercial offshore wind farm, the 48.3 megawatt Baltic 1 in the Baltic Sea. Since then, EnBW has built three more offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, with a combined capacity of 976 MW. The next big wind farm, the 900 megawatt He Dreiht, is set to go on stream in 2025 in the North Sea – completely free of feed-in subsidies. EnBW is also developing further international offshore projects. Systematic expansion of renewables, and offshore wind energy especially, is now a strategic focus.

“Baltic 1 was a real pioneer accomplishment in Germany and for EnBW. It enabled us to show that offshore wind farms are an economic proposition here,” said EnBW CEO Frank Mastiaux. Since then, EnBW has contributed to the energy transition by investing around €5 billion in expanding renewables, including around €3.6 billion in offshore wind farms alone. “Offshore wind energy is and will remain one of our important growth areas.”

Control centre and service base in Barhöft near Stralsund

Baltic 1 is located 16 kilometres off the coast and is operated from the port of Barhöft, 18 kilometres from Stralsund. Barhöft is home to EnBW’s service base and control centre. Eight service technicians are assigned to Baltic 1. They travel daily to the wind farm with a crew boat and perform repairs and maintenance. Most of them are from the region, and some have been with the company right from the start. Thomas Reichenbach, mayor of the community of Klausdorf, appreciates the good neighbourly relations: “We’re pleased to have EnBW controlling and operating its renewable energy operations from our small port in Barhöft. The working relationship between EnBW and our community is excellent.”

Positive operating review

The 21 wind turbines can produce enough electricity for the equivalent of 50,000 households. “We are very highly satisfied with the wind yield and technical availability at Baltic 1. Both are well above our expectations,” says Ralf Neulinger, Head of Renewable Generation at EnBW.

Baltic 1 is to continue operating for another 15 years. After that, EnBW will either dismantle the turbines or apply for a permit to keep them in service.